A. It is most likely to be worms in a young pup or possibly constipation. Make sure that you have treated with a good quality worm treatment from your veterinarian as over the counter ones are not as effective.
How to Identify Common Pet Problems ?
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If your dog`s stomach feels abnormally hard, that could be a sign that they`re dealing with a stomach issue. Common stomach issues that cause a hard stomach include gastric dilation volvulus, peritonitis, and Cushing`s disease. If your dog`s stomach is hard, you should take them to the vet right away.
Ascites. Ascites is a condition where fluid build-up collects in the abdominal area. This is common when your dog has an internal disease such as heart failure, kidney disease, liver disease, and intestinal issues. Late-stage heartworm can also cause this symptom.
Some constipated dogs will have a tense, painful abdomen and cry or growl if you press on their stomach or lower back. Call your veterinarian if your dog fails to produce a bowel movement within 48 to 72 hours of a previous bowel movement.
The only correct way to treat bloat is to get your dog to a veterinarian as soon as possible! Even if it turns out not to be a case of GDV, you and your dog will be happier for the peace of mind and relief a veterinary evaluation can provide.
Sometimes, bloating can be caused simply by your pup eating too much at once. A few minutes and some gas release and all is well again. A newborn puppy`s bloated belly is fairly normal, too.
This is called an umbilical hernia. In affected puppies a small amount of the fat from inside the abdomen frequently protrudes from the opening, creating a bump under the skin at the site of the belly button.
You may see that your dog`s abdomen looks round or “pot-bellied”, and some dogs show signs of restlessness or trouble breathing. These symptoms indicate that your pet should be evaluated by a veterinarian, as there are a variety of causes for abdominal distension.
A dog`s stomach should feel soft and not swollen. If your dog`s stomach is hard, that could be a sign of bloat and requires immediate veterinary attention.
Puppies that are bloated are commonly infested with parasites (intestinal worms). In canines, a distended abdomen may signify a disease or dysfunction related to a major organ such as the heart, or another condition such as pregnancy or obesity.
What can cause a hard stomach? A hard stomach can happen for various reasons, including constipation, gastric cancer, and some chronic digestive conditions, such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).
Bloated Stomach: A pot belly is one of the most common symptoms of worms in puppies. Itchy Bottom: One potential sign of worms in dogs is rubbing their bottom on the ground.
Dog Bloat – How Long Does It Last? In most cases of bloat the gas can actually shift after about 30 minutes. Try slowly walking your dog on the lead or gently massaging his belly to relieve some of the pressure. It`s a great sign if you hear him belch or break wind because it means that the gas is leaving his stomach!
You`re not alone and in fact it is an issue that is very common in this breed. An umbilical hernia is also the most common type of hernia found in the Shih Tzu Breed. This condition occurs when there is a small opening in the abdominal wall allowing the possibility of contents from the abdomen to protrude.
The hernia generally appears as a soft swelling beneath the skin and it often protrudes when the puppy is standing, barking, crying, or straining.
A tumor of the stomach is an abnormal proliferation and dysregulated replication of the cells that make up the stomach. Stomach tumors usually grow from the cells of the inner lining of the stomach or muscle that surrounds the lining. Stomach tumors may be either benign (non-cancerous) or malignant (cancerous).
The primary signs that the pet owner may see at home include vomiting, drooling, decreased activity, decreased appetite, black stools, and weight loss. Your companion`s veterinarian may also detect abdominal pain, but palpation of an abdominal mass is uncommon.
Bloating and swelling are not the same. Abdominal bloating is a feeling that your abdomen is bigger (such as feeling too full after a meal) while swelling is a measurable increase in size.
Abdominal swelling, or distention, is more often caused by overeating than by a serious illness. This problem also can be caused by: Air swallowing (a nervous habit) Buildup of fluid in the abdomen (this can be a sign of a serious medical problem)
This swelling, called edema, is the result of too much fluid in the tissues. Congestive heart failure or the vein not working well, also known as venous insufficiency, is often the cause. Symptoms of edema include: Swelling or puffiness of the tissue right under the skin, especially in legs or arms.
Inflammation in your appendix (appendicitis) is a common cause of lower abdominal pain. An inflamed appendix can also burst, spreading infection to your peritoneum (peritonitis). You may also have lower abdominal pain on one side if you have a condition affecting one ovary or one kidney.
Generally, a dog with bloat will not be able to poop. If they do, it will be diarrhea and of small volume. But do not assume that because your dog has been able to have a bowel movement they are not experiencing bloat.
Taking an x-ray of your dog`s abdomen is the only way to tell the difference between bloat and GDV, allowing for appropriate intervention. A dog with bloat can die in a matter of hours unless emergency gastropexy surgery is performed.
Any time you have a concern about your dog, contact your veterinarian, especially if the constipation lasts more than two days or if your dog is sluggish, vomiting or has no appetite. Chronic constipation can lead to obstipation, a severe medical condition in which the colon is unable to empty on its own.
If your dog is constipated, they may be straining to defecate, and small, rock-hard stool may result. If your pup has not had a bowel movement in two to three days, it means that they are constipated and should be taken to the vet. Sometimes constipation can be mild and resolve quickly on its own.
Q. My Bulldog puppy growls, barks and even tries to bite me when I say “no” to him. What can I do?
ANSWER : A. First, avoid scolding him and acting aggressively towards him if you don’t want him to be acting aggressively towards you. There are other methods you can use to communicate to your dog that you don’t want him to continue doing what he is doing. I recommend you stop telling him “no”, scolding him, or raising your voice at him. Everything coming from you should be 100% positive and 100% calm.
Try to figure out ways to clearly communicate what you want to your dog. If you want your dog to leave something or someone alone, I strongly suggest teaching your dog commands like “leave it”. Here is a link to a video in which I explain how to do it:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=R1TS5nA7z5Q
Another thing I suggest you use is a no-reward marker. This clearly communicates when your dog has done something wrong. No-reward markers have to be introduced during your training sessions. You should be doing at least three training sessions per day, that are something like 3-10 minutes long (working on different things each training session). If you are teaching your dog something BRAND NEW, do not use the no-reward marker, as you do not want to discourage your dog from performing behaviors for you. Use the no-reward marker for known behaviors only. Here is another helpful video about this:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=sdU5a6fXKlg
Lure each new behavior (as shown in the video) using high value treats. Let’s say you’re working on “down” which is a behavior your dog knows fairly well. Present the treat to your dog. Ask your dog to “down” (only ask once). If he does not go “down” immediately, say, “uh-oh” or “eh-eh” in a gentle tone, and then place the treat behind your back. This communicates to your dog that they did something to make the treat go away.
After you place the treat behind your back to show your pup “that was wrong” you need to communicate to your pup “let’s try again” by getting your pup to walk around for a second, and then start the behavior all over again. If your puppy is very young, chances are you haven’t taught him a solid “down” behavior yet. So, as I said, do not use this method until you have lured each new behavior as shown in the video.
This is the order in which you should teach behaviors: Lure using a high value treat as shown in the video. After a few successful food lures, lure with an empty hand. If the pup is successful with the empty hand lure, reward with lots of treats. If the pup is unsuccessful, then go back to food-luring a couple more times. After a few successful empty-hand lures, you can begin to add the cue. Say “sit”, then lure with an empty hand, and then reward. Once your pup understands the cue, begin to work on the no-reward marker.
